The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-11-08
DEATHS DOINGS.
An Old And ,Weu-Kn0wn Bates
County Resident the
Victim.

well known resident of Bates county,
who died on Saturday last, at his res
idence, some five niles west of Apple
ton City, was, in some respects, re-
markable man, since, for over forty
years, he lived within radius of a few
miles from where he died. Had he
lived until December, he would have
been aged 65 years, but strong
drink, of which he was the unfor-
tunate victim, would not permit a
longer lease of life. William Gil
breath, the father of the deceased,
was raised in Buncombe county,
North Carolina, emigrated in about
1903 and settled in st. Clair county,
Illinois. After the war of 1912 he
moved with his family to Little Rock,
Arkansas, subsequently to Spring
field, Mo-, and about 1910 to Bates
county. He was buried in the grave
yard at Grid school house, the same
place i'm which his sons remains were
inferred last Sunday. Three sons,
one daughter, one sister, and two
brothers survive him.
Stephen Gilbreath was at one time
the largest taxpayer in Bates county.
He had large landed possessions. vast
herds of horses, cattle, sheep. mules
hOgs-in fact he was unable to tell the
number of each he was the owner of.
He had been a moderate drinker of
red liquor all his life, but about fifteen
years ago he commenced to drink to
excess. His fall was rapid. "He
sowed to the wind and reaped to the
whirlwind." His losses, by money ex-
pended and non-attention to his
business. were large. His possessions
few fast. Herds of cattle, fine horses
etc., soon vanished, and all went
through the flowing bowl. Then
trac: after tract of land until he was
down to the last quarter section all
having faded like the dew before the
morning sun.
At this juncture he was declared
unfit to care for his own and the
court appointed a guardian who held
him in check, 80 far as spending his
money was concerned, but it did not
check his drinking, and his down
ward course. He died victim to bis
appetite. His funeral was held at
his late residence and the sermon was
preached by the Rev. 81. NJ. Hack
new, of the Northern Methodist
church, of Appleton City. The pro-
cession which followed the remains
across the rolling prairie in the vicin-
ity of the mythical town of Hudson
City, was a mile or more long, and
as the sun was sinking behind the
western horizon, and casting its golden
beams upon the dun and scarlet of the
waving trees. and leaves of
the bronze green of the ripening corn,
which tpld il mute language that the
death of the year was also at hand,
the mortal remains of Stephen Gil
breath, a man whose possibilities were
second to none, but who, alas had
been caught by the fatal sparkle OF
the glass that always wrecks, were de-
posted in the grave, there to repose
until the earth gives up its dead.
The deceased was man of gener.
GUS impulses. In his days of prosper.
ity, the hungry were never turned
from his door. He was large hearted
and charitable almost to a fault--in
fact, he assisted, fed, clothed and
sheltered, In his warm heartedness,
many who were not deserving--he
could not and did not
say "no" to want, and the
realization that he died such a death
and filled such a grave is sorrowful
indeed.
May One who deals justly with all
mankind, who judges and cannot err,
look with compassion upon Steve Gil.
breath. His faults were of the head
and not of the heart.